Chapter 8
Delivery

Eunhyuk was looking out one of the broken stained-glass windows which Mr. Lee could not find a replacement for because it was a piece of antique glass, but he did a good job covering the broken side with black cardboard. Donghae’s room was quiet, except for the soft buzzing in Donghae’s chest as he slept peacefully. Before he fell asleep, Donghae exhausted himself with screams. He screamed and screamed until he could scream no more.

Bloodstains Donghae had left on the carpet grew pale and edgeless from Misun’s fierce scrubbing. Mr. Lee walked over the faint stains later that night with a grumpy doctor trailing up behind him. It was three in the morning, the Lee house were lucky their neighbor was a doctor who offered to help whenever the pregnant faced any difficulties—it looked like he was regretting his decision real quick though.

The doctor rolled up Donghae’s shirt and lowered his pants and started examining. The doctor pinned Eunhyuk with a serious stare for a second that lasted a lifetime to Eunhyuk before he turned back to Donghae and examined some more. Eunhyuk shifted his weight restlessly and tried to avoid Donghae’s parents’ eyes as much as he could. Not that he was guilty of Donghae’s condition, but the doctor’s frequent glances made him a suspect.

“Eunhyuk-ssi right?” The doctor got up and peeled the bloody gloves off his hands, discarding them in a near-by trashcan which Misun watched with a crazed look. Eunhyuk was sure she’ll have to sanitize the bedroom at least seven times before she is completely sure it was perfectly clean. Eunhyuk nodded and then his lips. He them again, and again.

“Your fiancé seems to be suffering symptoms of miscarriage—which could be a result of excessive excitement, carrying heavy things like furniture for instance, or having —but his baby is too big to for miscarriage, we need to get it out of him now. I recommended a C-section as fast as possible, but I don’t think we should be moving him from this room. Please call the paramedics while I go get ready. Tell them to do the suitable preparations, and we will talk about what caused this misfortunate a month ahead of its time.”

“Yes sir,” Eunhyuk said and dug in his pocket for his phone. Mr. Lee escorted the doctor out and discussed the bill while they were at it. Misun was crying and Eunhyuk wrapped his arms around her as he talked on the phone. When he was done, he kissed the top of her head and told her that her son is strong and is going to make it. “I did not sleep with him, Misun. He called me because he was scared, he said the baby was frightened it couldn’t sit still and was torturing him.”

Misun nodded. She believed him. She wiped away her tears and ordered Eunhyuk around so they can make this room as clean as possible for operation. All the time she was praying for her son’s health and for God to make it an easy delivery. While they were roaming around the room, no one noticed the small figure standing at the door. Donghae felt its presence though; he started squirming with knitted brows, his baby wanted out. And it wanted it now!

****

Great gouts of blood poured from the cut-through passage in Donghae’s abdomen. Misun fainted twice throughout the delivery and had her husband constantly by her side for the rest of the morning. Eunhyuk held Donghae’s hand all the time, even though his lover was subconscious—drifting in and out of consciousness whenever the pain was too much for him to handle. He kissed on Donghae’s hand and then bit on his white knuckles in a steady régime.

The cut in Donghae’s stomach was too big for tiny goddamned baby to come out. The doctor let out a sigh of relief and a nurse took the baby in her hand while the doctor separated the child from Donghae. Misun handed her a blanket and she used it to wrap the baby in after they bathed it in warm water.

Eunhyuk watched as they handed Misun the baby while the doctor finished the second part of the operation. He wanted to see his baby—if he could call it his—and see if it looked anything like him. He hoped it did, but would not dwell on it since it might not. He knew he could not hate this baby no matter what because she was Donghae’s no doubt in that part.

“She’s breathtakingly beautiful,” announced Misun with her tear-chocked voice.

Eunhyuk looked over at the baby who turned its head and its eyes met his: confused, innocent yet intelligent. At its sight, his heart warmed, and he raised Donghae’s hand and kissed it again, whispering in his ear that his baby is as beautiful as he is. Donghae was unconscious at this point, but Eunhyuk doubted his lover would deny the fact. The baby still looked at him, ignoring Misun’s attempt to feed it. A moment later, its tiny mouth caught the tip of the baby bottle, little by little the rubber softened between its working gums.

Misun’s heart warmed at the sight of her granddaughter, Mr. Lee too let it hold his pinky as it fed. Eunhyuk was relieved everything went okay with Donghae’s delivery. It was finally time to breathe again. He was about to get a hold of his baby girl when Donghae moaned out her name.

****

Angelica opened her eyes the next morning, to find a pair of warm ones looking into hers. She, instantly, recognized them and her tiny body in the arms wrapped around her. Donghae chuckled, “well, hi little one,” he said softly. He was still worn out from the delivery night but he was glad his baby was healthy and did not suffer any deformations.

Angelica’s mouth drew down. Her eyebrows came together and tears welled up in her eyes, and soon she was crying loudly. She was hungry. She opened wide and showed her soft, pink gums. Dongahe sighed and handed her over to Eunhyuk, who took her in his arms with so much care. He smiled at her and she seemed to have quieted down a little, puzzled by the change of faces. Eunhyuk smiled at her and nudged her lips apart with the tip of her baby bottle. She started ling noisily, the pupils of her eyes fixated on him.

Eunhyuk tensed when her tiny hand clawed at his wrist. She didn’t hurt him, but it was the first time something this young has cradled him. “You’re okay?” Donghae asked weakly. Eunhyuk smiled widely at him, “Yeah, I’m fine. Are you hungry yet? Misun’s prepared your favorites, should I call her in.” Donghae smiled. He wasn’t hungry but the care he was receiving made him want to return the favor. “Yeah, let her dish me up.”

Eunhyuk smiled big and balanced tiny little Angelica on the length of his arm while he used his free hand to get the door. He called for Misun and told her Donghae was ready to eat. Angelica cried continuously for the next hour. She was extremely noisy and both her parents needed to work on extending their tempers so they could cope. Otherwise, Misun will be doing all the parenting and they really wanted to be everything in Angelica’s life. They really did.

Misun had gone up again to retrieve the tray and found that Angelica was still crying and thrashing her tiny limbs into poor, confused Eunhyuk. She’d caught his chin and rib at the same time and he’d winced quietly. Misun chuckled and proceeded to take Angelica away. He gracefully gave her away and then laughed when his eyes had met with Donghae’s. “I’m terrible at this, as you can see, but I’m going to try harder each time until I’ve mastered it. Maybe then I’ll share some advices with you on how to be a parent.” All that Donghae could do was smile. He was grateful to his lover, considering everything that has happened and all they have been through, and Eunhyuk still offered to be Angelica’s known father. Donghae was real lucky to have a lover like him. He threw his head back and closed his eyes in grace.  

****

When the night came and it was time to eat, Misun’s kitchen did not seem to be in a very good condition. The lights were dim and the oven seemed to have run out of gas again. She sighed and turned towards the kettle, it was good thing electricity still ran in, otherwise, Angelica would be suffering. Angelica, Misun shook her head, she had been the one who picked her name. Sweet, little Angelica. Misun did not smile as she filled up Angelica’s bottle with warm milk. She kept thinking of the old woman she had named her grandchild after.

In all her grown days, she had never wished to see old Angelica’s eyes again, but almighty God had other plans for her. Obviously, Angelica did not believe in mortality that she was reincarnated again in less than half a century. Her obsession with immortality had always intrigued Misun, and she couldn’t understand her tracts. Misun shook the bottle in her hand to mix the powder milk and water nicely. She also noticed that she needed all the faith she could muster before she did something stupid to Angelica yet again.

On Sunday, she would go to the church. It will be the first time she visits the Holy place in exact twenty-years. A lot of time had passed, Misun was ready to forgive herself, and she hoped the almighty was ready as well. Old Angelica’s blood still stained her hands, even though she was not the one who killed her. “God damn black magic and all them witches. Bless my innocent sons and daughters and protect them from the unknown. I beg you.”

“Honey, we’re starving!” her husband crooned.

“Honey,” Misun turned to look at him. “The oven is broken. I will send Donghwa over to grab us something off a restaurant. Food will be here in less than an hour, don’t worry.” And she dismissed her husband with a blank expression, and then went to carry on with her promise. Although Donghwa was irritated his mother had come to him once again for help, he was glad he could go out of this spooky house at that hour of the night. He took the money and everybody’s order and then ran out the door. In the yard, he did not spare the oak tree a single glance, for fearing to catch the evil twins again. He ran and ran until he was out on the street. The neighborhood was quiet and chilly; Donghwa did not think it would be a good think to take a stroll till the restaurant.

And so he ran and ran, and at the restaurant he met a young man with frowning eyes. He looked so lonely and sad. Donghwa paused for a moment before he sternly told himself not to talk to strangers—no matter how handsome they are. He whooshed past the tall man and made it into the crowd-less restaurant. In no time, the five orders were done and packed. Donghwa paid the bill and carried his bags to leave. He thought of the dark streets and long walk he’d be taking since he can’t run back home anymore, definitely.

Outside the restaurant, he saw the young man still lurking. Maybe he was beggar, Donghwa thought with a frown. He looked the man up and down, and noticed his torn shirt and dirty skin beneath it. Slowly, he lowered one of the bags down and reached for the money in his pocket, and then called out, cutting the silence. “Hey! Come here.”

The man paused as if he did not know that he wasn’t alone in the dark street. A moment later, he shuffled his feet towards Donghwa and waited. Donghwa stretched his hand and nodded for the stranger to take the money. “Take it, get something to eat, you seem like you need it,” Donghwa said, smiling. The young man looked at him like he was lunatic for a moment before he reached for the bill and nodded. Waiting for a ‘thank you’ Donghwa noticed the man looked insanely handsome, it made his pants tighten. He did not look like a beggar, let alone the common society; he looked rich, and when Donghwa examined him closer, he noticed the dirtiness that covered his skin under the torn fabric of his shirt was dried blood. He gasped and reached for the cut on the man’s torso. The man didn’t flinch away.

“Were you in an accident?” Donghwa asked softly.

“A few hours ago, yes,” the handsome youth said. He then reached for his throat and rubbed it and then ran his slender fingers into the inside of his collar loosening it, a concealing gesture, though the top button was already undone. “There has been an accident like you mentioned,” he said. “I just can’t seem to remember… anything.”

His short brown hair covered his eyes and Donghwa cold fist squeeze his guts. It continued to clench and twist his guts until he finally said it. “Do you need to go to the hospital? Shoot, I am new here, I don’t know where the hospital is, but I can ask around for you.”

The youth shook his head. There was only one place he could take this man to. Donghwa bit into his bottom lip. “Look, we’ve just moved into this rusty and spooky place. We had welcomed a newborn just yesterday, so my parents probably can call a doctor over for you.” The other stood dumbfound at the request, so Donghwa continued. “It’s not the nicest place you’d visit in this town, but we are nice people, I promise.” He chuckled and caught the youth smile too, even if just a tiny grin. He took the bill and disappeared back into the restaurant to make a new order for his newest friend.